London & SE Regional League, Premier Division, played on Tuesday 17th October 2023
at the Kuflink Stadium, Northfleet.
Team: Jade Charlton, Charlie Torry, Jo Woodgates, Georgie Davis, Meghan McKeag,
Shannon Wason, Lizzie Adams, Paris Smith, Emily Read, Shauni Griffiths, Nicha Dyett
Subs: (used) – Emily Vaughan, Gabby Howell, Emily Woodhouse, Hannah Thomas
Scorer: Emily Vaughan
Between these two chances Dartford had fallen behind to a well-taken goal in the 27th minutes which gave Jade no chance.
Late in the half, Darts brought all eleven players back to defend a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the penalty area. Jade organised her wall and it was pleasing to see the attempt to bend it round the wall ended with no bend at all and the ball flew harmlessly wide by 3 or 4 feet.
HT 0-1
Darts made a positive start to the second half and in the 51st minute Shauni cleverly kept the ball in play tight to the line where she was able to pass it inside to Nicha. Nicha’s attempt to put in Emily Read was so unluckily intercepted by an opponent’s boot, which diverted the ball away from Em who would have had a clear run of goal.
Charlie Torry delivered a really good cross and a challenge from Emily Vaughan that was punched clear by the keeper. Then a poor Fleet back pass under pressure gave Darts a corner on the right in the 60th minute. A short one-two with Meghan and Emily Vaughan resulted in an inch-perfect delivery from Meghan that beat the whole Fleet back line and was scored by Charlie Torry. The ‘goal’ was disallowed for offside even though one defender had failed to push out with the rest of the defence, thus playing the three on-running Darts players onside. But never-the-less the decision was a disallowed goal.
The match suddenly came more alive with Darts sensing that they could create more chances and Emily Woodhouse sent a nice ball through to Emily Vaughan who produced a good shot on goal but the keeper saved well. For the first time in the match the Fleet began to look a bit anxious with Darts putting on more pressure. The defenders were happy to concede two or three throw-ins at a time in an effort to thwart Darts’ progress. From one of these, Georgie Davis got in a really teasing cross but the keeper was equal to it.
Into the last five minutes and Darts managed to ‘up the tempo’ and found an even greater amount of belief in themselves.
The match was in the 90th + 4 minutes when Gabby took a long throw that reached Nicha and her presence was enough for the keeper to drop the ball on the goal-line but fortunately for Fleet was kicked away for a corner.
An in-swinging corner from Shauni was delivered pin-point into the 6-yard box. First Emily Vaughan got her header in but her effort was blocked on the line and from the ensuing mini scramble the ball popped up in front of Emily Vaughan who, with “quick-flash” reactions, prodded it home for a brilliant equaliser.
FT 1-1
Summary:
This was certainly not one of Darts most polished performances, but it certainly was one of guts, resilience and determination. One wonders if it was an important factor that Fleet had postponed their Sunday match, whereas Darts had played, and therefore only had one full day free to shake off any injuries and aching limbs before this epic local battle.
When reporting on Sunday’s match with Sutton, I mentioned that Darts converted seven of their ten chances. This evening Ebbsfleet could only convert their eight or so chances into a solitary goal. Much praise must be heaped onto Jade who probably played one the best performances of her career, certainly true in a Dartford shirt that’s for sure.
Without her brilliant performance Fleet may well have gone into the break with more than just a one-goal lead and her clean handling, one could say, was the difference between losing and not losing.
Fleet’s goalie mishandled on a couple of occasion and her second mistake cost them dear at the end.
Tonight, Darts had absolute belief in themselves proving that - “The games not over, ‘till it’s over!”
The full-time score of 1-1 proved that.
Report by Tony Brown
Photos by Taur Everard and video extracts by Alex Barber (on Instagram)